Send us a text

It’s National Cheese Pizza Day, September 5. We celebrate the quintessential holy trinity of pizza, the cheese pizza. It is the classic combination of cheese, red pizza sauce and crust. Check out more on Cheese Pizza Day. Our guest today is thriving in one of the most competitive pizza markets in the world, New York City. Frank Kabatas has amazing story of building the American Dream. He actually tried his first pizza at the pizzeria where he would land his first job when he came to America in 1997. That first job was at the pizzeria he owns today, East Village Pizza.

Listen to Frank share how he advanced in the pizza business. He details how much education and learning has played a significant role in his life. 

He also shares his passion for being in the kitchen and working with pizza. He loves to experiment, which has resulted in viral dishes. We talk cheese pizza.

The pizzeria has amassed 1.7 million followers on Instagram. Learn more about his livestreaming approach.

Learn more about East Village Pizza at https://www.eastvillagepizza.net/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/eastvillagepizza/ .

Show Notes: 

Take the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey now at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7926725/Pizza-Today-s-Pizzeria-Operator-Survey-2024 . 

October is NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.  

Send us a text

This week we’re exploring tech in pizzerias with George Panagopoulos, owner of Dedham House of Pizza, in Dedham, Massachusetts. This tech-savvy operator has taken over an over 50-year-old pizzeria. He is driving the business into future by developing a custom AI chatbot. As he has stepped into the owner role, George has implemented self-ordering kiosks, mobile app, rewards program, online specials and third-party delivery companies.

Listen as George shares what motivates him to advance his business technology and offers insights on how other operators can do the same.

We talk about what the future of Dedham House of Pizza will look like and how he is helping educate his customers to get there. 

Here is a brief overview from Dedham House of Pizza:

Dedham House of Pizza is a Greek family-owned pizzeria located in the heart of the historic Dedham Square, a suburb of Boston. Serving up an array of New England Greek pan-style pizza prepared with daily-made, in-house dough, calzones, subs, roll-ups, pastas, salads, beer, wine, desserts and more, DHOP has been providing fresh food to the local community for over 50 years. Through implementing recent innovations such as self-ordering kiosks, a mobile app, a rewards program, online specials, catering offerings, gluten-free pies and three third-party delivery companies, third-generation owner & operator George Panagopoulos has taken an individually-owned mom & pop pizza shop to a nationally-recognized pizzeria.

The pizzeria’s patriarch, Andreas Panagopoulos, immigrated from a small Greek village called Eleochorio (Village of Olives) outside of Greece’s third largest city, Patras. Andreas and his siblings were farmers growing grapes and olives, and they made their humble living producing wine and olive oil. In search of the American Dream, Andreas arrived in the U.S. in his mid-20s, working a variety of jobs and falling in love with pizza. Andreas arrived in the U.S. in 1981 and by 1983 was working as an employee at the pizzeria. By 1991, he was managing it and by 1996, he and his wife Maria owned it, eventually enlisting their entire family to work as well including their son, George, who serves as the current owner and operator.

Learn more about Dedham House of Pizza at www.dedhamhouseofpizza.com and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/dedhamhouseofpizza.

Show Notes:

Take the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey now at https://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7926725/Pizza-Today-s-Pizzeria-Operator-Survey-2024 .

October is NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit. 

Send us a text

This week on The Hot Slice Podcast, Denise and Josh chat with Jessica Hellaine and Nick MacDonald, owners of Black Dog Pizzeria in Dublin, Ohio.  

First, we learn what Columbus-style pizza is. Black Dog also serves New York-style pizza. Nick is the mad scientist of the business always experimenting with the dough and menu. Explore the evolution of its New York-style pizza. We talk menu development and employee input. Learn about their playful pun pizzas and marketing. 

Jessica runs the marketing, social, front of house and other operations. We talk about how the pizzerias is gaining attention and grassroots growth through community and neighborhood events and competitions.  

A mostly DELCO operation, they talk about converting third-party to their in-house delivery program.   

Listen until the end when we find out what is top of mind in pizza business with Jessica and Nick and how the business recovered from a fire. 

Show Notes: 

Check your Email for the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey. Learn more about the survey get a link to the survey.  

October is NATIONAL PIZZA MONTH, the best month of the year! Start planning now! We are here to help you plan to have the BIGGEST & BEST October National Pizza Month with the official NPM logo, graphics, fillable social media images, press release, customizable social media calendar, pizza fun facts and more. Go to the Toolkit.  

Register for PizzaCon, the fun new event is November 7 in Philadelphia. Registration is live, so secure your spot to attend today! Learn more about PizzaCon.  

Send us a text

This week, Jeremy and Denise chat with Jeff Cincotta, Chef Owner of Molinari's Italian Eatery & Pizzeria and Ravello Italian Kitchen in Watertown, Massachusetts. Prior to opening Molinari nine years ago, Jeff spent his career as an executive chef at private clubs. 

He was ready for a change and opened Molinari. We dive into his background and transitioning to ownership and talk about the culinary creativity he brings to the business. 

Molinari uses local seasonal ingredients. Jeff talks about his approach to local and shares some of his menu creations. 

Don’t miss the end when Jeff shares tips and motivation for fellow operators. 

Show Notes:  

Jeremy and Denise highlight Pizza Today’s Pizzeria of the Year, Camporosso in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky. Read the full story. 

Check your Email for the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey. Learn more about the survey get a link to the survey.  

Check out the recent Pizza of the Week and how your pizza special can be considered at https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/pizza-of-the-week-boxcar-pizza-portland-oregon/ 

Send us a text

This week, we chat with Candy Yiu, who owns The Turning Peel in Portland, Oregon. She meticulously selected all the design elements that went into the pizzeria that resides in a house turned commercial space. The result is an enchanting and magical space with sourdough Neapolitan pizza at its core.

We talk about how the business has developed and how the starter and pizza dough has evolved. She even shares what her sourdough is named.  

In an upcoming Conversation in Pizza Today Magazine, we asked Candy about the pizza style and dough. She said, “It is like a traditional Neapolitan pizza with paper thin crust with airy rim. But the difference is the crust is crunchy on the outside. Holding the edge of a slice should withstand weight of toppings. The sourdough gives you a tangy flavor you can’t resist. Crunchy yet chewy! We serve our sourdough Neapolitan pizza on a rack on a plate. We spent a long time to select this system to keep the pizza crust crunchy.” 

Learn more about The Turning Peel at https://www.theturningpeel.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/theturningpeel/ 

Show Notes: 

Jeremy and Denise highlight Pizza Today’s Pizzeria of the Year, Camporosso in Ft. Mitchell, Kentucky. Read the full story: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/2024-pizzeria-of-the-year-camporosso-wood-fired-pizzeria-ft-mitchell-kentucky/

Check your Email for the 2024 Pizzeria Operator Survey. Learn more about the survey get a link to the survey at https://pizzatoday.com/topics/industry-news/pizza-today-launches-2024-pizzeria-operator-survey/ 

Send us a text

This week, Executive Editor Denise Greer interviews Jillana Miller and Ahmad Butler, Owners & Chefs at Miller Butler in San Pedro, CA, They have quickly gained a reputation for amazing pizza in the LA pizza scene. 

What started out as a pandemic pasta-selling business as evolved into a mobile pizzeria in high demand for its popups and catering. While Jillana has had a long career in food, including as a personal chef, operating a pizza business wasn’t in the plan until the COVID-19 Shutdown. Ahmad fell in love with the dough process as the couple perfected their pizzas. He has continually modified the dough in search of that perfect crust. 

Find out how developed their dough recipe and started the business. Explore how Miller Butler has grown through crowdfunding and what’s next for the business. 

You can catch Q&A in our Rising Stars of the Pizzeria Industry feature: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/rising-stars-of-the-pizzeria-industry-2024/ 

Learn more about Miller Butler. And follow the business on Instagram @millerbutler_sp and Jillana @chefjillananadine and Ahmad @mrbutler_aka_doughboi. 

Send us a text

This week, Editor-in-Chief Jeremy White goes one-on-one with Thomas Ardito, co-owner of Brooklyn DOP in Brooklyn, New York.   

A fitness enthusiast and gym owner, Ardito grew up tinkering with pizza at home and first got involved in the industry by delivering pies on Long Island. But it wasn’t until the COVID pandemic — when many gyms across the nation were forced to close — that he began deeply exploring his interest in artisan bread making and dough development. 

After working with Andrew Scudera at the Goodfellas Pizza School of New York and informally consulting great dough mentors such as John Arena, Ardito was ready to begin his journey in earnest and dove head-first into pizzeria ownership with business partner Jason D’Amelio.  

Learn more about Brooklyn DOP at https://www.brooklyndop.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/brooklyndop/?hl=en 

Send us a text

Over the next few episodes of The Hot Slice Podcast, we’re excited to let you get to know pizza makers and owners who we named Rising Stars in the Pizza Industry. We’re so impressed by Marisol Doyle, Co-owner/Pizzaiola, Leña – Pizza + Bagels in Cleveland, Mississippi.

Leña was recently named a top pizza spot in the U.S in the feature: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/25/di.... It’s been a whirlwind since the announcement and even before that. Marisol has quickly garnered a reputation for her pizza and bagels, and it continues to grow. We talk about how the business started and its evolutions. We also dive into the Mississippi Delta region and pizza. 

Marisol has a passion for flavor combinations. We go into some of her menu favorites. As part of our Rising Stars feature, we asked Marisol: Your menu changes weekly? What goes into your creativity? She said, “We introduce a unique pizza special every week, a veggie option that changes from time to time, and five pizzas that always stay on the menu. Additionally, we offer a couple of salads, appetizers and desserts. Our customers really appreciate that we offer something different every week and that we try to make everything in-house. We draw inspiration from our travels, ingredients we enjoy and creative ideas on social media. My Mexican heritage also plays a big role in the specials. I often like to incorporate traditional Mexican ingredients to our pizzas. It usually takes us a day or two to come up with the perfect combination of ingredients. We test out the flavor combos to ensure our customers will like variety — and of course, we always want the end product to taste and look delicious.”

Check out the Rising Stars of the Pizza Industry featuring Marisol at: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-...

Learn more about Leña – Pizza + Bagels.
and check out the pizzeria and Marisol on Instagram at @lenapizzabagels  and @marisoldo.Over the next few episodes of The Hot Slice Podcast, we’re excited to let you get to know pizza makers and owners who we named Rising Stars in the Pizza Industry. We’re so impressed by Marisol Doyle, Co-owner/Pizzaiola, Leña – Pizza + Bagels in Cleveland, Mississippi.

Leña was recently named a top pizza spot in the U.S in the feature: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/06/25/di.... It’s been a whirlwind since the announcement and even before that. Marisol has quickly garnered a reputation for her pizza and bagels, and it continues to grow. We talk about how the business started and its evolutions. We also dive into the Mississippi Delta region and pizza. 

Marisol has a passion for flavor comb

Send us a text

This week, Executive Editor Denise Greer goes one-on-one with Hillary Lake, who co-owns Hillary’s Chicago Pizza, in St. Augustine, Florida. 

She’s no stranger to restaurant business ownership, but she never thought she would enter the pizza industry. It was during the pandemic that she missed her hometown Chicago pizza and sought to make the perfect Deep Dish. That catapulted into creating a farmer’s market and brewery pop-up for extra income. Today, Her and her husband Bruce bought a turnkey craft house. 

Hillary isn’t stopping there. She has a vision to take her social work degree she is currently pursuing and opening a unique take on a Pizza Farm. Listen to her share her future plans. 

Earlier this summer, we did a quick Q&A for our Conversation feature. In that, she says “We had and have amazing support here in Northeast Florida, and buying a restaurant was not on our to-do list. We had a restaurant in Chicago and thought we were done with that journey. I applied to grad school during the pandemic and I worked at a school for special education and my husband worked in insurance. The pizza thing would not go away though. Things magically lined up over and over from pop ups to farmers markets to our funding for the brick and mortar. The location was very serendipitous. The people that told us about our first farmer’s market are the same people who told us about the available kitchen in St. Augustine.” Read her Conversation: https://pizzatoday.com/topics/people-pizzerias/conversation-hillary-lake-hillarys-chicago-pizza-st-augustine-florida/

Learn more about Hillary’s Chicago Pizza at https://www.hillaryschicagopizza.com/ and on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/hillaryschicagopizza/ . 

Send us a text

Happy 4th of July, everyone! On this holiday, we’re replaying a favorite episode for your enjoyment. Jeremy sat down for a one-on-one interview with pizza legend John Arena, co-founder of Metro Pizza in Las Vegas, just before he gave one of the most memorable opening day keynote addresses at the 40th Pizza Expo in March. 

During the discussion, John touches on his feelings about tinkering with dough formulas and pushing the industry forward through trial and error. He teases his keynote (“from Me to We,” he says) and even talks about his favorite style of pizza to eat (hint, he grew up on it), as well as his favorite style of pizza to make. 

Follow John Arena on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/johnnypizzaguy/